Ecclestone reveals remarkable insight about Hamilton's first Mercedes deal

Bernie Ecclestone states in the new documentary Lucky that in 2012 he was willing to pay part of Lewis Hamilton's salary to get him to Mercedes. In the end, however, the German formation decided to put the money on the table.

When Hamilton decided he wanted to leave McLaren at the end of that year, Mercedes immediately saw an opportunity. The team, which competed in the middle of the Formula 1 grid at the time, saw an ideal successor to Michael Schumacher.

Initially, Hamilton was reluctant to step down, but Niki Lauda convinced him at the time. Then his salary demands came around the corner. Hamilton demanded some $50 million, but Mercedes would not initially agree to that.

"So I said ‘well he’s somebody that I think Mercedes needs, I’ll pay the difference’," Ecclestone remembers well. "But eventually, Mercedes paid." It turned out to be a golden move, as Mercedes took no fewer than six world titles with Hamilton. The contract runs until the end of 2023, with both parties expected to make a longer commitment to each other.